Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/171

 THE NEGRO RACE AND EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION 155

memory of races which is one of the chief ingredients of civilization.

We have already seen how utterly all social or national self- consciousness is lacking in the negroes, and how localized their interests are. It is a noteworthy fact, in this connection, that as the negroes have no experience of social or political unity, so their languages can express very few general conceptions. In con- versing with negroes, Europeans constantly note that the mind of the individual seems far stronger and more apt than the language which he must use to express his thoughts. Can we not here surmise a subtle connection between the realization of true social and national unity and the existence in the psychology of a race of those general conceptions upon which all higher intellectual civilization is founded? No more striking proof could be found of the truth that we are what we are through society, than the fact that the negro race, powerful in physique, strong and normal in intellect, has not achieved a higher social and intellectual civilization. Should favorable conditions for the existence and development of permanent societies in Africa be brought about, it then would admit of little doubt that the negro race would develop in civilization a civilization proper to it, rather than an imitation of the European type. In view of the fact that the physiological characteristics of the white race have been pro- foundly modified in the course of its development, it may not seem altogether extravagant to say that even the cranial structure of the negro race may be affected by a change in its social, political, and economic conditions; or, if we should decide that cranial structure lacks all demonstrable importance in this matter, it might at least be asserted that, if certain conditions inimical to intellectual development after puberty are removed, the negro race may, notwithstanding its unpromising characteristics, develop in civilization. Now, perhaps the circumstance most unfavorable to progress is the powerful strain of sensuality in negro nature, which swallows up all the best energies after puberty has been reached. The deadly climate of parts of Africa, and the horrid conditions of internecine warfare and cannibalism, have hereto- fore rendered a high birth-rate necessary. With more peaceful